The Winter Wolf Maiden
by MaisieWilliamsFangirl
Summary: Mirari Stark is the eldest daughter of Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn. She takes ill with a terrible fever, days before the king arrives at Winterfell, so her younger sister Sansa is betrothed to prince Joffrey in her place. Mirari is brave and strong; a true wolf maiden, but when she wakes to find that nearly all her family is gone, how will she survive this Game of Thrones?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The sun was shining brightly, I had almost forgotten sunlight, it seemed. All I could think of was darkness. I could hardly remember what the warm rays felt like.

I lifted my hand up from under the bed covers, holding it out so that the golden light danced on my pale fingers. It was warm, so warm. I looked around me, half in a dream; it was all slightly blurred and hazy.

I was in my bed, but I couldn't remember getting into to, or going to sleep, I couldn't remember doing anything, not yesterday, or for many days.

I was frustrated and frightened by this realization, why can't I remember anything?! I looked around again, and then up at the ceiling. There was a scratch in the stonework above my head, Arya did that.

I smiled, the memory was a fond one, my little sister had jumped up and down on my bed on the morning of her seventh name day, and she woke me first of course.

She had been holding, holding, a fork I think, I can't remember why. Well she scratched into the stone with it and the crumbled dust fell straight onto my head, and all in my mouth. Jon and Bran had just been coming through the door, having heard Arya's laughter.

I was angry at first, the little pieces of stone having gone in my hair and some even in my mouth, but soon we were all laughing. Jon, Arya, Bran. Where were they?

I sat up straight; the room was coming into focus. My head was aching; a dull throbbing pain that threatened to split my skull. I moaned and fell back onto the pillow.

The heavy oaken door swung open slowly, and an old, sad looking man walked in. I looked up at him, smiling weakly, "Maester Lewin!" I murmured, he gasped and his sorrowful, watery blue eyes lit up like sapphires.

"Mirari! You are awake! I shall fetch your mother at once." He gently patted my arm and felt my forehead, then hurried from the room once again.

But I didn't see him return, the room was darkening, and my head was feeling lighter. I sank back into the mattress, my thoughts wondering. I struggled to stay conscious, but my chamber was disappearing quickly.

In the distance I could hear a wolf howling, its call sad and heartbreaking, and then the world went dark once more.

When I woke again, my hand was trapped. I sat up, more slowly this time, but the head ache did not come. I looked about; my mother was sitting beside me, asleep, laid back against the chair.

Her face was older than I recalled, creased with worry lines, even in slumber. It was in her grasp that my hand was held, and her fingers were slim and gaunt. She looked thinner, more tired, weak and weary.

"Mother?" I said, gently pulling my hand away and touching her shoulder. She sat up suddenly; her eyes were wild and haunted. But as she fully woke and saw me, her eyes lit up with joy, and she smiled, but her eyes were brimming with tears.

"Mirari! My sweet, sweet girl!" She cried, embracing me. She felt so frail and bony that I feared I would hurt her as I hugged her back. She was frightening me, my mother had always been so, strong. She never cried, she was always my mother, my protector, but now I felt almost like she was the child and I the parent.

"Where am I?" I asked her, frowning with worry as she reluctantly sat back down. She sighed, the happiness almost entirely leaving her Tully blue eyes, so alike my own.

"There is so much to tell, my daughter, and so little time." I sat up fully, still holding her hand. "Tell it all and tell it true." I said softly, and she smiled a pained smile as I quoted father.

She took a breath, and began. "When you woke, two mornings before the king was to arrive, you were very ill. A terrible fever, it hit you hard and left you unable to get up.

Everyone, everyone doubted whether you would survive, most thought that you would not. So, when the king and his party arrived, and the king proposed a betrothal between a Stark girl and his eldest son, prince Joffrey, it obviously would have been you, as our eldest daughter.

But, seeing as you were in no state to travel to Kings Landing, and your death was deemed likely, Sansa was betrothed to the prince in your place.

After that, King Robert asked the question he truly came to the North to ask, that your father become the new Hand. Your father accepted, and so it was planned that Sansa, Arya and... Bran would leave for Kings Landing with your father."

She spoke my brother's name with a pain, and I felt a sudden terror wash over me, what had befallen him?! My sweet, innocent little brother, with his dreams of knighthood who climbed the castle walls like a monkey.

"But, while the royal party were here, your brother, Bran, he, fell." I gasped; my eyes wide with worry and horror, Bran never ever fell. "Where?" I asked her, "The Broken Tower." She replied and I felt a sob swell in my throat.

"He, he was in a coma of sorts, and was put into bed. Nobody knew whether he would live, and most expected that, like you, he would pass. Even if he did awake, Maester Lewin told me, he would be a cripple."

Tears were welling in my eyes, making the room blurred once more. My mother, choked down a sob, and contained. "So your father and sisters left with the king. And I was left with two children unconscious, both unlikely to live."

I nodded, "But, last night. There was a fire, in the old library. I was with Bran, and I stayed with him while Robb left me to go and put it out. A man came in, he had a dagger. She held up her other hand, which had been in her lap the whole time.

There were terrible scars across her fingers; the cuts were deep, one of her fingers almost cut off. I gasped again and took her hand, gently touching the scars. She winced and went on, "He was sent to kill your brother. Why? You may ask, because he saw something. We believe that Bran didn't fall; he was pushed off of that tower because he saw something he wasn't meant to. Bran's wolf killed the man; your brother is, safe."

I sighed, "But he hasn't woken?" She shook her head, "What do you think he saw mother? And who sent that man to kill him?" She closed her eyes, holding a hand over her forehead.

"The Lannisters." My eyes widened, "But, father and Arya and Sansa are with them, in the same city, the same castle!" She nodded, "Your father and sisters are in a very dangerous place Mirari. And that is why I am going to Kings Landing, I would have left yesterday, but when you woke..."

She smiled sadly, "I couldn't possibly leave without seeing you, telling you first." We sat in silence for a while, still holding each other's hands, her eyes were bright with determination and a tiny flicker of hope, she looked like the strong, fierce mother that I knew and loved again.

"Sleep now my daughter, for tomorrow I will depart, and you will hopefully be well enough to get up soon." I frowned, "I feel fine mother!" I complained, but she smiled and stood, leaning over me to kiss my cheek.

"You are my strong little girl, you will protect your brothers, I fear that Rickon, I have not cared for him as I should have while Bran and you were, asleep. You must watch over them both, and Robb.

Make sure that he is alright, he is young still; make sure that he is not alone. You are thirteen Mirari; nearly a woman grown, these are dangerous times my sweet summer child, but winter is coming."

Then she let go of my hand and walked from the room, the door swinging shut and her words echoing in my head.

Winter is coming.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Summer**

When I woke next it was midday, Maester Lewin deemed that I had made a truly miraculous recovery, and that I could be allowed to get up and go speak with my brothers, and see Bran.

So I climbed out of bed, as soon as the Maester was gone, the stone felt cold on my feet, though normally the rooms were quite warm, as Winterfell was built over a hot springs.

The shiver ran all through my body, and I looked over in fright as the door swung open again. "Lena!" I smiled, she was my handmaiden, since I was Sansa's age, and I thought she was a very sweet girl, a few years younger than me.

She smiled shyly and nodded her head, "Milady." Then I saw that she carried a gown, draped across her arm. "Lady Stark left this for you, it was a, ah, gift from the king when he visited."

I smiled and walked over to her, it was very beautiful, a stormy blue colour, with beautiful lace and embroidery. Lena dressed me in it, and I was delighted to see that I looked beautiful for once.

She then brushed my ash brown hair; it had grown so knotted and tangled during my illness that it took her almost an hour! And then she braided it carefully, tuning around my head, with the rest flowing loose, down to beneath my breast.

I smiled at her, and then went towards the door. It was only then that I remembered, that howling, the first time I woke,

"My direwolf." I turned to my handmaiden anxiously, "She is in the yard Milady, Lord Robb has cared for her, though both she and your Lord Bran's wolf have not stopped howling. They began when you each took ill, and yours stopped yesterday, once you recovered Milady."

I nodded, "Lord Stark called them the names less howlers, as neither ones have been named yet." Lena added, and I nodded absentmindedly,

"Yes, thank you Lena, you may go." She nodded again and hurried off. I went to the window, yes, I had only had my wolf for a week, and I had named her a hundred times, yet nothing fit.

Nymeria, Lady, Greywind, Ghost, Shaggydog. They all fit so perfectly, to both master and dog. Except perhaps Shaggydog, though Rickon is little, and the name works in its own way...

But naming my direwolf was not at the top of my list right now.

I turned hastily, and followed after Lena, into the hallway and down the stairs, along and around until I reached the great hall. It was empty, and then, remembering that it was really late in the afternoon, and not the morning, I listened carefully.

Sure enough, there was the clanging of swords from the training yard. I smiled to myself, Robb and Jon no doubt, or perhaps Theon. I hurried out the door and into the yard.

The air hit me hard, colder than I recalled, winter was approaching fast, and I could see snow forming in the thick white clouds above.

I walked quickly to the training yard, Robb and Theon were sparring, but no jests, laughter and taunts came from my older brother, indeed he was grim and solemn, he looked as serious as if it were a real fight.

I scanned the grounds, Jon was nowhere to be seen, that was odd, Greywind sat by the armour racks, seven hells! How he has grown! At least at my waist now I would guess, big enough for little Rickon to ride!

The wolf was howling; Bran's wolf. I couldn't see it, but I could hear its howls, louder than ever, and so, so very sad.

I approached them, still hacking and grunting, then Robb span and his eyes met mine, both Tully blue, but his curls were flaming red, and mine a dark Northern brown.

"Mirari!" He gasped and ran forward, dropping his great sword. He hugged me, and I embraced him back, he was also taller than I remembered, and stronger, with a strong auburn stubble on his chin.

"Mira, if I had known... I though you weren't well enough to get up yet!" I smiled grimly, "I am fine, almost fully healed the Maester said." He nods and looks over at Theon, who is standing awkwardly to the side.

"Let us go to father's study, we can talk. Theon, I'll see you later." He sounds almost like father, his voice strong and lordly.

Pulling off his breastplate and putting back his shield as he walks past the racks, Robb leads me back inside, and into father's chamber. He sits at the big chair and I sit before him.

"A lot has happened while you were in fever Mirari." He tells me, his eyes are sad, and his face more serious than I have ever seen him. "I know, mother told me. But, where is Jon?"

He looks at me in surprise, "Mother didn't...?" He sighs and shakes his head, "Jon left for the wall; he's joined the Nights Watch. He left at the same time as father, Sansa and Arya left for Kings Landing."

The words are a blow, however gently he tells me, but I only nod, not showing my despair. Jon and I had always been very close, we were only half a year apart in age, as I was little less than a year younger than Robb, and Jon was a moon or two younger than he.

Jon Snow, my silent yet loving older brother, who never accepted himself, even though we did accept him. Arya and I loved him the most of all, and Robb of course.

Poor Arya, she must hate it in Kings Landing, I doubt they will allow her to sword fight and run amuck there...

"Mirari? He will be fine there, Jon is strong, he, he will have brother in the Watch, he will be their equal." I glare at him, "_We_ were his equals! We _loved_ him!"

He sighs, "Of course we did, but not mother, and a part of him died with every look of hatred she shot at him. Jon wasn't happy here, it was his choice." I nodded, forcing back tears.

"Mother has told you about Bran?" I nodded, "And his... Attacker?" I nodded again. "Father and our sisters are in danger Mirari, mother will be now too, Bran is sick and a cripple if he recovers, and Rickon grows wilder every day, he feels like everyone has forgotten him."

I look out of the window behind my Lord Brother, the snow has begun to fall, and the wolf is howling, always howling; Bran's wolf. "Where is he?" I ask, Robb frowns,

"Where is the direwolf, Bran's direwolf?" "With Bran, at his side." I nod, and then begin to say something. But I stop, listening, "The howling has stopped..." I say in confusion, Robb listens too, the howling has stopped, and there is only silence.

I start to feel scared, fearing that means that something bad has happened to Bran. Then the maid bursts in, her eyes bright and hair flying, "He's awake! Lord Bran is awake!" She cries, and we need no more.

Robb and I both jump up at the same time, pushing past her and running towards Bran's chamber, he's awake, he's awake, is all I can think.

We run up the stairs and Robb, already tired from swordplay is puffing as he bursts through the door, with me at his heels.

Bran is sitting up; the wolf pup is on the bed beside him. We both just stare at him for a moment, then Bran smiles,

"His name is Summer." He tells us, and all I can do is laugh, another perfect name, so fitting and beautiful, my wolf, wherever she is, will be the only nameless pup!

And I run past Robb, sitting at Bran's side and hugging him tightly, then Robb is at his other side. We three sit together, entwined, the direwolf squished between.

And for a moment, I feel perfectly happy, for a moment I can forget about Jon, alone and cold at the wall, Arya, Sansa and father, alone too, in the lion's den, and very much in danger.

For just a moment I don't think about how my little brother will never walk again, and how any second he will say to me, "Mirari! I can't move my legs!"

And my reply will break his sweet little heart.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Nothing Good**

I walked out into the yard, and over to the edge of the trees.

Bran…

He hadn't cried, though I could see he wanted to, and when I finally left him, I heard him start to sob as I walked away, and it shattered my heart.

The sky was dark now though, Rickon must be asleep, Robb had left him around midday, but I had stayed.

I half wished that Bran had cried that I could have held him while he sobbed.

I knew that he would have with mother; I wish he trusted me like that…

I sobbed myself cursing the gods, old and new. Why would any god do this?!

It is the cruelest thing, to leave him a cripple; Bran, of everyone in the world.

I fell to the ground, my knees buckling and I let myself break, let myself crumble.

The tears were flowing down my cheeks, and my back was wracked with sobs.

Then I felt it brush against my back, I looked around in fright and met her eyes.

She was bigger, nearly to my hip I would guess, a little smaller than Greywind.

She had been third smallest of the litter, if I remembered right, after Greywind and Ghost.

I wrapped my arms around her, stroking her chestnut fur and holding her close, wetting her back with my tears.

I pulled back, and cupped her head in my hands, my direwolf; my second half.

I looked into her eyes, they were orange, a fiery orange-red, with flecks of black.

Like embers in a fire, indeed her eyes seemed to smolder with love and passion, she had human eyes; eyes that thought.

"Ember." I whispered, holding her to my breast. "Ember."

Another perfect name.

When I woke it was bright out, I could hear laughter from the yard below, and the barking of the wolves.

I looked down; Rickon ran back and forth, his face lit up with excitement as Greywind chased him back and forth, Shaggydog always at his chubby little feet, and Summer bounding in and out.

I could hear Robb's laughter too, as well as Rickon's childish shrieks.

Ember lay by the fire; it was only ash now though.

She was curled up, a big brown mound, slowly moving up and down.

I smiled to myself.

Lena came in to dress me, "What will you wear today milady?" she asked, "The dark green one, and bring my boots, I am going riding." She frowned at me, "Is that wise milady? You have only just recovered."

I nodded, "I will not go far."

As I rode, with Ember at my heels, I felt free.

She didn't bark like the other dogs. Ember was a serious wolf it seemed; I had only ever heard her howl or growl.

But that didn't mean that she was never happy, mother would have said that beasts are never anything, happy or sad.

But if she just looked into her burning eyes, she would understand, Ember's eyes tell you how she feels, not her sounds.

The wind was whipping through my hair, the trees just green blurs at either side. I felt so free, away from everything.

I could just ride.

Then I realized that I had forgotten my bow. It would have been more fun if I had something to hit all the painted targets that I sped past with.

My bow was one of the most precious things I owned.

It was a name day present from father, after he realized that my love for archery could not be stopped, he bought me a bow that I could use properly.

It was quite unlike the stiff, large Westerosi long bows, from the Summer Isles, made from real dragon bone.

It was slender and graceful, much smaller than what I had learned with.

But I adapted soon, and now I was a better archer than anyone in Winterfell.

My bow, my direwolf, my brooch. The most precious things I owned, though I didn't really _own _Ember.

I reached the heart tree at last, sliding off my horse and tying her to a sentinel pine to my left.

I walked slowly to the great tree.

Everything was silent here now, it hadn't always been. I looked out at the pool, large and still, so still that it looked like glass.

I remembered the days in the heat of summer, years ago, when that pool bubbled, waves and splashing, the laughter of myself and my siblings.

How we had laughed here, children, happy children.

But all was silent now. I was almost afraid to breathe; the silence seemed somewhat holy, and foreboding.

I knelt by the heart tree, with its stern solemn face. It reminded me of father…

I looked up at it, a single blood red leaf fell, dancing in the air, slowly drifting down until it settled in my lap.

As I picked it up, it looked so bright red against my pale fingers.

And as I touched the thin, delicate leaf, a sudden pain stabbed through my finger, into my hand, up my arm and into my mind.

I screamed and fell back onto the ground, it felt as if my mind was being split apart, the pain brought tears to my eyes.

Then they came, the images, shooting into my mind, faces and places, each time one appeared it was like being stabbed.

There was Arya, dancing back and forth, whacking at the wall with a wooden sword.

Sansa watching as Lady howled, each mournful wail like a dagger to my heart.

There was Bran, falling, falling towards me.

And father; he looked at me in horror as Ice swung closer and closer.

And as it struck him, I felt like I was being ripped in half.

When my eyes opened again, all was dark.

Everything was blackness around me; I sat up, brushing leaves from my hair and looking about in fright.

Ember sat at my side, her head in my lap.

She sat up and rubbed her face against mine, whining softly.

"Oh dear." I sighed, and stood, feeling very worried and frightened.

It must be late at night by now, my horse was asleep, the pool still as glass and the heart tree looming above me.

Everything seemed far more sinister now however.

"Robb is going to _murder _me!" I gasped and stood, rubbing Ember comfortingly behind her ears.

So I climbed back up onto my horse.

"Come on girl." I clicked, and patted her gently on the back.

She woke and we rode off.

My heart was racing the whole journey back.

I rode slowly, careful not to crash into any trees as the night was black as pitch.

Ember walked by my side like always, she nuzzled gently at my bare ankle every now and then, as if to reassure me.

When I reached the road at last, the wolfswood behind me, I sighed in relief.

The lights were on in the windows and I could hear people yelling from inside.

I rode through the gates and was immediately surrounded by people.

Hodor, the simple stable boy pushed forward, Bran was riding on his back in some kind of bag.

I half fell from my horse as I dismounted.

"Mirari! You're alright! Where have you been?!" Bran yelled down at me, I smiled weakly.

But my reply was lost in the voices, horses were approaching, and I turned to see Robb riding through the gates, Theon at his side and twenty men behind him.

I groaned inwardly, his face was troubled and stern, but when he saw me he looked both relieved and angry.

He jumped down and walked over to me, _I must look a mess_, I though, hastily brushing dirt off my dress.

He hugged me first, holding me close, then pulled away.

"Where in seven hells have you been Mirari?!" he growled, and I felt like he was father for a moment,

I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't say in front of all these people.

They'd think I was mad.

He saw that in my eyes I think.

"My sister is exhausted, please excuse us, we will talk on the morrow." He told everyone in a lordly voice

I smiled at him gratefully, and he took my arm, leading me inside.

We went to father's study. My brother seemed to have taken up residence there.

He sat and I sat, his face was concerned, Greywind sat at his feet, sitting up proudly, and Ember sat at my feet, her head leant against my leg.

"What happened Mirari?" Robb asked me, I took a breath.

"I don't know Robb." I sighed, "I went to the gods-wood, and I sat at the heart tree. Then a leaf fell down and it landed in my lap. When I went to pick it up…"

I paused, afraid that he would laugh, "It hurt me." He frowned, "What?" I sighed again.

"When it touched my finger, there was a terrible pain, it spread up my arm and into my mind."

"Gods be good Robb, it felt like I was being ripped apart." His eyes were wide.

"Then I saw, things… I saw Arya practicing with a wooden sword, Sansa crying as Lady faded away, Bran falling, and then…" I paused, "Father being… killed, with Ice."

Robb looked confused, "You had a dream?"

I shook my head in frustration, "No! It was real Robb. Everything that I saw felt like a stab to my heart. And when it stopped and I opened my eyes, it was night time."

He looked so helpless, not knowing what to think.

"Do you, do you think that you saw the future?"

I sighed, "I don't know! I don't know what it was! I'm just telling you what I saw."

He sighed, and put his head in his hands.

"Look. I know it sounds ridiculous, but that's what happened okay?!"

"Alright, alright!" he snapped at me, "Mirari. These are dangerous times, war is coming. Maybe it was a vision, maybe a tree branch fell and knocked you out, maybe you just dreamed it or imagined it, I don't know!"

I glared at him, "I wasn't dreaming!" I yelled and stood up.

I walked to the door, "Mirari. Honestly stop being so childish! Surely you can see that your story isn't very believable!"

I whipped around, "Childish?! You are the one who won't listen Robb, I'm just telling you, that's what happened!"

Then I turned and stormed out, Ember growled at him and followed after me.

Father always said that I reminded him of Lyanna Stark, the wolf maid.

Well, she had a terrible temper…

I sigh, wrapping my arms around me as I walk out across the courtyard.

I stroll across towards the doorway which leads to my chambers.

Suddenly I feel a hand on my arm; I spin around, expecting it to be Robb.

But Theon is the one holding me, I frown, "What do you want?" I ask him coldly, pulling my arm away.

He smirks, "You really are hot-headed aren't you? And mad too, from what I hear."

I narrow my eyes, "What do you mean Greyjoy?" he smiles, "Visions of the future…?"

I glare up at him, "You little sneak!" I hiss, and he smirks again, "You little nutter!" he mocks.

I reach back to slap him, but he grabs me by the wrist before I can.

"Let me go." I say coldly, and his eyes darken, Ember growls threateningly at him, baring her teeth.

He lets go and walks off across the yard.

Fuming, I half run back to my chamber.

The room is cold, so I light the hearth and sit down, undressing quietly and pulling on my night gown.

Ember curls up by the fire, and I see that my supper tray is sitting by the bed, cold now.

But I eat some of the bread and a bit of cold chicken, realizing how starved I am.

Whether they were dreams or visons, I think as I slip under the covers.

I don't think it foretells anything good.


	4. NO MORE! O:

Hey guys, I am really sorry but I have just lost all motivation for writing this story.

That's because I have started a **different fanfic** which I have written tons for already and will upload the first chapter of soon.

I apologize to everyone who read this story; I might continue it later in the year but for now that is all about Mirari…

But please check out my new fanfic story, because I am having lots of fun writing it!

The new story is called _Secrets of the Heart_, and it is about an O/C Lannister girl.

Please, please, please read it if you did like this one, and review + favourite!

I promise to continue this next one! (:

MaisieWillimsFangirl xoxo


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